Beginning Again
by Lily of the Shadow
Summary: Stuck 10 years in the past with your worst enemy would be horrible. Stuck 100 years back would be worse. But what happens when Hermione is sent all the way back, almost to the beginning of time, with Draco Malfoy? Crossover, LOTR.


Greetings! Mae govannen, and all those other introductions.

If you are a returning reader of this story, there is some explanation that must be done. If you are reading At The Beginning for the first time, please at least read the second and third notes.

_To my returning readers: _First, let me thank you for sticking with me. It means a lot to me that you would follow me through the original version, and unto this new one. For the 133 reviews I got for ATB v.1.0, you have my utmost gratitude.

There are a few notable differences between this version and the original:

**First**, Hermione and Draco will not be traveling by port key. That was far over my head to explain, and I have altered it to fit better with Tolkien's idea of Middle Earth. You will see how this changed in the first chapter. Their location has been changed—they WILL NOT BE IN MIRKWOOD. This is important within the story. Fear not, Hermione/Legolas fans, there WILL be some of that love triangle hinted at in the original. You'll just have to wait for it. Also, the point of view is much changed. The entire story will be done in third-person.

**Secondly****, this is AU as of HBP**. I said in my final note of the original that I would be editing for HBP compliance, I have not done that. Forgive me, but it didn't fit into my plans, and is largely irrelevant anyway, due to the setting of the story.

**Thirdly**, **a note to Tolkien elitists:** I will not be dealing with the language barrier. The Common Tongue, in this story, and for all intents and purposes, is ENGLISH. If you do not like this, get over it and leave. I'm not such a sniveling coward anymore that a few flames regarding my 'abuse' of Tolkien's world would puncture my ego enough to sway me from my authorship of this story.

With that, I will keep further talking to the end notes. This is VERY short, unfortunately, but what honest fan fiction author ever continues past the transport in the first chapter?

_**Obligatory Disclaimer**__: LilyoftheShadows does not own any of the characters, places, brand names, or franchises mentioned in this story. She owns some of the concepts, but you know what they say about original ideas. LilyoftheShadows is making no money from this, nor is she receiving any form of compensation outside of the satisfaction provided by reviews. The author retains the right to engage in flame wars with anyone who dares flame her._

**Please enjoy!**

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Hermione sat in the last sanctuary available to her: the library. She was curled up in the very back corner, immersed in a well-worn copy of Lord of the Rings. The fantasy epic was the perfect thing to draw her from her usual facts and figures. She was so engrossed that she missed the bell that signaled the end of lunch.

Perhaps it wasn't her fault, one could say. She was rather tired, having taken up the use of the Time Turner again to get through two extra NEWT classes, and therefore it was understandable that she would perhaps, say, nod off in the middle of the battle of Pelannor fields and miss the end-of-lunch bell.

"Miss Granger!"

She was roughly jolted awake by Madame Pince's squawking. She looked up at the stern librarian, and then around at the dusty shelves, then down at her watch.

"OH!" she cried, jumping up. "I'm so sorry, Madame Pince!" she gathered her bags, shoved her book roughly into it, and threw it over her shoulder. "Won't happen again!" she skirted around the old woman and hurried out of the library at a pace just below an undignified run.

Madame Pince had to give a tiny smile at the retreating back of her favorite student.

Hermione flew down the halls, praying that she wouldn't be late for Arithmancy. Sleeping after lunch had exhausted her. She headed towards Aincent Runes in the North Tower. She had to remember where she was… The Library! She should be alright if she went back now…

She rounded the corner as she pulled out her Tine Turner.

"Damn!" she ran straight into someone, causing them to fall back with a curse.

"I'm sorry!" she cried, scrambling to get a better hold on the fragile hourglass. The person growled.

"Watch where you're going, Granger," he snarled once he noted who he had run into.

"I said I was sorry, Malfoy," Hermione shot back as she finally gripped the chain firmly. "Ow!" she yelped as a pain shot through her fingers. She opened them quickly to stare at the pendant. "Oh shit," she whispered, dropping to her knees to collect the magical sand that had fallen out. It was visible, shimmering all over the floor and—horribly enough—on the hem of Draco's pants.

"What did you do, Granger?" he sneered, backing up as she reached instinctively for his pants.

Frustrated, Hermione pulled her wand and pointed it up at Draco, who had his out in an instant.

"Shut up and let me get the sand off your pants, then stay put so I can obliviate you," she growled. Draco's eyes widened only a tiny bit. In her irritation, Hermione jabbed her wand at Draco's pants, not meaning anything but to knock the sand off.

There was an explosion of sparks and a crack like lightning, and Draco jumped, dropping his wand in surprise. It hit some of the sand itself, and that, too, exploded.

Both of them felt like they had the wind knocked out of them quite thoroughly before everything went black.

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I hope you will deign this worthy of a review, but I won't beg. If you can't think of anything good to say, then say something bad! ♥ 


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